A riverine tale, falls

In Shivanasamudra, there’s more to the splendour of the Barachukki and Gaganachukki cascades

Lushington Wellesly bridge

Barachukki Falls

Sometimes, the most beautiful waterfalls are not always the tallest or the biggest. Shivavanasamudra is one such destination that presents a series of cascades.

I started my drive to Shivanasamudra on a pleasant overcast day, a promising weather that would accompany my solo journey throughout. The roads through the journey were smooth, well-laid-out and signposted.

Group help

On a few occasions where the signboards were missing and when Google didn’t guide me, I had to enquire with the natives. The appreciable thing about the countryside was, when I asked with one local, the affable group of people discussed my problem and then explained the route in detail.

My first stopover was at the Lushington Wellesley Bridge, a 400-metre-long ancient structure named after the then Governor of Madras Presidency.

River Cauvery flows through the bridge built with hewn granite pillars interconnected by stone girders. There is no information regarding who constructed it, or when. But it was discovered in 1818 and restored by the Mysore rulers.

The bridge was partially damaged last year due to torrential rains in the catchment areas in Kodagu.

Shivanasamudra translates to ‘Lord Shiva’s Ocean’, and is the domain of Mother Nature.

Lifeline River Cauvery, which takes birth in Talacauvery in Kodagu, on its course forms two islands, one in Srirangapatna and the other at Shivanasamudra. The river runs down from a 75-metre valley before it splits into two branches that flow around the island of Shivanasamudra. They flow through ravines on either side of the island before plunging at two different places, a few kilometres apart, to form Barachukki and Gaganachukki.

This place is also famous for the first Hydroelectric power generation station in Asia, named after Diwan K Seshadri Iyer.

Barachukki Falls, in Chamarajanagar district, forms several streams through a rocky terrain and cascades from about 200 feet. One can hire a coracle to sail through the rough waters till the edge of the falls to experience the mist formed by the plunging waters.

Gaganachukki Falls, in Mandya, has two streams that take the shape of a horsetail and plummets down from 300 feet before hitting the rocks, creating clouds of vapour. The falls can also be viewed from the dargah of Hazrath Mardane Gaib, which gives an upstream-end view.

The Karnataka state tourism department celebrates Jalapathotsava every year where the falls are illuminated with laser shows. One of the firstHydroelectric Power generation stations in Asia was built here in 1902. This project was the brainchild of Major A J De Lotbiniere, a deputy chief engineer in the erstwhile state of Mysore.

During his visit to Shivanasamudra, he was so fascinated by the sheer force of the falls that he immediately shared his idea of harvesting hydropower with the then Maharaja Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar.

The whole deal

The king, who was a visionary, was inspired by the proposal and promised all assistance and entrusted Diwan K Sheshadri Iyer with the project.

It was a daunting task. Heavy turbines and other equipment were shipped from the United Kingdom. Wood was brought from Australia. Elephants, bullock carts and horses were extensively used to transport heavy machinery. Finally, the project with a capacity of 700 kilowatt was inaugurated on June 30, 1902. British named the region ‘Bluff’. Electricity was transmitted exclusively to Kolar Gold Mines for its mining activities.